Imagine my astonishment when, on making our customary bi-weekly trek
next day, I discovered the small terrier secured to our tool-limber
by a piece of baling-wire, evidently enjoying the trip and abusing
the limber-mules as if he had known them all his life. Since he had
insisted on coming with us there was nothing further to be said, so
we christened him "The O'Murphy," attached him to the strength for
rations and discipline, and for two years he has shared our joys and
sorrows, our billets and bully-beef, up and down the land of
Somewheres.
But it was with our Albert Edward he got particularly chummy. They
had the same dislike of felines and the same taste in biscuits. Thus
when Albert Edward rode by, ears drooping, tail tucked in (so to
speak), _en route_ to the shambles, The O'Murphy saw clearly that
here was the time to prove his friendship, and trotted along behind.
On arriving at H.Q. the comrades shook paws and licked each other
good-bye. Then Albert Edward stumbled within and The O'Murphy hung
about outside saucing the brass-collared Staff dogs and waiting to
gather up what fragments remained of his chum's body after the
General had done with it. His interview with the General our Albert
Edward prefers not to describe; it was too painful, too humiliating,
he says. That a man of the General's high position, advanced age and
venerable appearance could lose his self-control to such a degree was
a terrible revelation to Albert Edward. "Let us draw a veil over
that episode," he said.
But what happened later on he did consent to tell us. When the
General had burst all his blood vessels, and Albert Edward was
congratulating himself that the worst was over, the old man suddenly
grabbed a Manual of Military Law off his desk, hurled it into a
corner and dived under a table, whence issued scuffling sounds,
grunts and squeals. "See that?" came the voice of the General from
under the table. "Of all confounded impudence!--did you see that?"
Albert Edward made noises in the negative. "A rat, by golly!" boomed
the venerable warrior, "big as a calf, came out of his hole and stood
staring at me. Damn his impudence! I cut off his retreat with the
manual and he's somewhere about here now. Flank him, will you?"
As Albert Edward moved to a flank there came sounds of another
violent scuffle under the table, followed by a glad whoop from, the
General, who emerged rumpled but triumphant.
"Up-ended the waste-paper basket on him," he panted, dusting his
knees with a handkerchief. "And now, me lad, what now, eh?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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